2023 The Waltons: Racing & Training Thread (Read 301 times)

Fredford66


Waltons ThreadLord

    Fred - I known nothing of your medication, is it possible to time your med to minimize how it effects high intensity efforts? Or vice versa? Nice week and good luck on the weather for racing. Five miles straight into the wind is really tough in a race, the second biggest running event locally has the last 5 miles of the half and full normally into the wind (and sometimes a very strong wind) and it's tough.

     

     

    I'm going to experiment with adjusting dosage prior to some races this summer to see the best way to go about it.  Even though marathons aren't high intensity efforts in the way a 5k is, I'd like to see if I can minimize the effect prior to my November marathon.

     

    The challenge for me on Saturday will be mental - running into a strong wind for a prolonged period does tend to sap my willpower.

    5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 
    10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)

    Upcoming races: RunAPalooza (Asbury Park) HM, 4/6; Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27

     

    Fredford66


    Waltons ThreadLord

      So, here I am, doing all this hand-wringing about Saturday's forecast being so warm (and wet & windy), while for today's 5½ mile run the temperature was just around the freezing point and it felt colder with a 15mph (24kph) wind blowing.  Hard to acclimate when the weather's swinging back and forth.  I guess that's just the change of the seasons.

      5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 
      10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)

      Upcoming races: RunAPalooza (Asbury Park) HM, 4/6; Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27

       

      Half Crazy K 2.0


        Fred, I overdressed Tuesday and Wednesday. Will it Maa difference,  probably not.

        Fredford66


        Waltons ThreadLord

          Time for my optimist's hat about race conditions.  Yes, it will be warm at 58º - 60º (14-16C), but it will be cloudy, so the sun won't be roasting us and the wind will make it feel a few degrees cooler.  Yes, there's a high chance of rain, but with total accumulation of 0.07 inches (2mm), it's not going to be a lot and is unlikely to be heavy.  Yes, the wind will be blowing hard at times 20mph (32kph), but the course is a long, thin loop, so the wind will be at my back half the time.  I'm ready.

          5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 
          10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)

          Upcoming races: RunAPalooza (Asbury Park) HM, 4/6; Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27

           

            Time for my optimist's hat about race conditions.  Yes, it will be warm at 58º - 60º (14-16C), but it will be cloudy, so the sun won't be roasting us and the wind will make it feel a few degrees cooler.  Yes, there's a high chance of rain, but with total accumulation of 0.07 inches (2mm), it's not going to be a lot and is unlikely to be heavy.  Yes, the wind will be blowing hard at times 20mph (32kph), but the course is a long, thin loop, so the wind will be at my back half the time.  I'm ready.

             

            That is an incredibly glass-half-full post, Fred. I like it! And hope this all comes true. That's what I meant when I wrote Mark to disregard those forecasts. However I guess for him its a bit more serious as compared to you and me.

             

            Fingers crossed and looking forward to your race report already!!!

            HM: 1:47 (9/20) I FM: 3:53:11 (9/23)

             

            2024 Goals: run a FM & HM + stay healthy!

            Half Crazy K 2.0


              Fred, I'm trying to find some optimisitc parts about the weather. I think the only thing I can really say is that at leasst the chance of thunder storms is later in the day, so I should be home before that line of storms rolls through and not on the course (especially the part that is a lot of open fields or a by golf course).

               

              ETA, another positive,  since I am traveling by myself,  I won't annoy DH with lots of bathroom stops on the drive while I drink lots of water

              Fredford66


              Waltons ThreadLord

                Fred, I'm trying to find some optimisitc parts about the weather. I think the only thing I can really say is that at leasst the chance of thunder storms is later in the day, so I should be home before that line of storms rolls through and not on the course (especially the part that is a lot of open fields or a by golf course).

                 

                ETA, another positive,  since I am traveling by myself,  I won't annoy DH with lots of bathroom stops on the drive while I drink lots of water

                 

                Yeah, your forecast looks warmer and windier than mine, though perhaps dryer.  Good luck with your race.  I hope you can find a way to enjoy it.

                5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 
                10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)

                Upcoming races: RunAPalooza (Asbury Park) HM, 4/6; Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27

                 

                Marky_Mark_17


                   

                  Mark:  oh come on, 3 days is a long time for any forecast, but in particular for weather. Take your new Nike's out for a run and avoid breaking your Rule. How many km do you get out of those plated shoes before you start using them for workouts etc?

                   

                   

                  It's still looking pretty humid and I'm not totally clear of this cold haha!  So I'll probably just use tomorrow as a tempo effort and not go full noise. But in the old Next%'s (I'll save the new ones for Southern Lakes next month).

                   

                  Fred - I admire your positive attitude.  I actually quite enjoy some rain on those warmer days.  I can vividly remember Orewa HM back in February 2019... 23c / 73f at race start and 99% humidity... absolute suffering. The worst part was the rain kicked in about 15 minutes AFTER we finished the race!

                  3,000m: 9:07.7 (Nov-21) | 5,000m: 15:39 (Dec-19) | 10,000m: 32:34 (Mar-20)  

                  10km: 33:15 (Sep-19) | HM: 1:09:41 (May-21)* | FM: 2:41:41 (Oct-20)

                  * Net downhill course

                  Last race: Maraetai HM, 10 Mar, DNF

                  Up next: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr

                  "CONSISTENCY IS KING"

                  Marky_Mark_17


                    Decided to DNS in the end. Still not quite 100% and I don’t really have a “take it easy” setting. Got Southern Lakes next month anyways.

                    3,000m: 9:07.7 (Nov-21) | 5,000m: 15:39 (Dec-19) | 10,000m: 32:34 (Mar-20)  

                    10km: 33:15 (Sep-19) | HM: 1:09:41 (May-21)* | FM: 2:41:41 (Oct-20)

                    * Net downhill course

                    Last race: Maraetai HM, 10 Mar, DNF

                    Up next: Waterfront HM, 7 Apr

                    "CONSISTENCY IS KING"

                    Half Crazy K 2.0


                      Mark, if you're not 100%, DNS seems like  smart call.

                       

                      DId the HM. Slower than I was hoping for, but not sure there's much I could have done different. Weather was awful. Warm, high winds and on and off rain. At the split with the full at mile 11, the thunder started. Somewhere around mile 12 the skies opened up and it poured/rained sideways. I'm a little surprised they did not divert folks to the HM who hit the split behind me. I always thought thunder was a no-go for races. Drive home was not fun. 2 hours into rain that alternated between light to heavy (to the point of low visability). Sun came out for the last hour and it is now like a totally different day. Winds arer relatively calm right now too. The wind driving home was a big concern. A wind warning went into effect at noon and I was a little worried that I could get stuck 40 monutes from home with the options of wait it out or drive an extra hour or 2 to find a way across the Susquehanna River.

                      darkwave


                      Mother of Cats

                        Mark, if you're not 100%, DNS seems like  smart call.

                         

                        DId the HM. Slower than I was hoping for, but not sure there's much I could have done different. Weather was awful. Warm, high winds and on and off rain. At the split with the full at mile 11, the thunder started. Somewhere around mile 12 the skies opened up and it poured/rained sideways. I'm a little surprised they did not divert folks to the HM who hit the split behind me. I always thought thunder was a no-go for races. Drive home was not fun. 2 hours into rain that alternated between light to heavy (to the point of low visability). Sun came out for the last hour and it is now like a totally different day. Winds arer relatively calm right now too. The wind driving home was a big concern. A wind warning went into effect at noon and I was a little worried that I could get stuck 40 monutes from home with the options of wait it out or drive an extra hour or 2 to find a way across the Susquehanna River.

                         

                        I'm sorry you had such rotten luck with the weather.  (and,FWIW, also sorry I neglected to wish you good luck the day before).

                         

                        I'm also surprised they didn't divert the race, given your description.

                        Everyone's gotta running blog; I'm the only one with a POOL-RUNNING blog.

                         

                        And...if you want a running Instagram where all the pictures are of cats, I've got you covered.

                        Half Crazy K 2.0


                           

                          I'm sorry you had such rotten luck with the weather.  (and,FWIW, also sorry I neglected to wish you good luck the day before).

                           

                          I'm also surprised they didn't divert the race, given your description.

                           

                          No worries. Oh, no grass at the start. Everything was staged on the road, POPs, bag drop and start line. I probably should have looked a little closer at the map, the start was further up the road from when I did it in 2018. I got there right as the race was starting.

                          Fredford66


                          Waltons ThreadLord

                            RunAPalooza Half Marathon, Asbury Park, NJ, 4/1/23

                             

                            Disclaimer:  I'm going to try to avoid too much weather whining, but that said, conditions played a major role in my experience today.

                             

                            I got up early and left the house just before 6:00 to get my traditional pre-race breakfast bagel, stepped out the door and was hit in the face by the warm, humid air.  It was 61º (16C), quite the contrast to the 35º (2C) just a day before.  I left home at 6:30 to head for the race, which was in the seaside town of Asbury Park (of Bruce Springsteen fame).  As I got closer to the shore, the thermometer readout in my car steadily dropped until it read 51º (11C) by the time I got there, which is not surprising since I was going from 20 miles inland to right on the ocean.  Shortly after I parked, the skies opened in a brief downpour, so I waited that out (the one thing the forecast got wrong was how much rain would fall - it felt like it was off by an order of magnitude, though it probably wasn't that bad).  I went for a warmup run on the boardwalk, heading into the wind for a half mile then back.  With roughly even effort, I ran about 10:35 into the wind and 9:50 with the wind.  That should have been my first warning.  As I finished my warmup run, I was already perspiring freely, which should have been my second warning.

                             

                            I met my RP about 10 minutes before the start and we lined up in a crowded corral.  There were almost twice as many runners as last year (1,808 vs. 965) and the field had some faster people in it since it was an Road Runners Club of America eastern region championship event.  The corral was crowded and not well regulated in terms of pace, perhaps because the pacers were by and large lined up too close to the start line.  I was dressed in a t-shirt and arm sleeves as well as a baseball cap.  The race started close to on time and we started on a brief run to the south (into the wind).  I tried to be patient working through traffic so as not to expend too much energy.  My RP, who likes to start fast got ahead of me and then slowed down to let me catch up.  After about a mile, things opened up a bit and when I saw I was running an 8:20 pace and my RP was pulling away, I just let him go and eased off a bit (my PR pace is 8:17 on a near-ideal day).  I caught up to him a little later and we settled into a pace around 8:30 for a couple miles.  At the first water stop they were using hard plastic cups and when the wind caught the discarded cups they moved down the street faster than we did, which provoked a lot of chuckles among the racers.

                             

                            Around mile 4, having run with the wind at my back for about 3 miles, I started to realize it was quite warm and humid (if it had been August, I would have considered it great weather, but I haven't acclimated to such conditions yet).  I'd already rolled down my sleeves to my wrists to help stay cool, but I found myself working harder and breathing more heavily that is usual for so early in a half.  I was able to pick up the pace again for miles 4 and 5, but I was definitely struggling already.  Shortly before mile 6 we turned south and headed into the wind.  I was now running close to 9:00 minute miles and thought I'd be able to keep it up if that was the worst the wind could do, but then around mile 8 we moved out of residential streets and onto the boardwalk, right on the ocean and the wind really showed its strength.  Now sub-9 miles were a thing of the past and I knew it was going to be a struggle to run a sub-2:00 half.  Then it started to rain.  Even a moderate rain can be uncomfortable when blown by 20-30mph (32-48kph) winds and I was keeping my head down a bit to shelter my eyes with the bill of my cap.

                             

                            About halfway through mile 9 I found myself with a group of runners trying to get a sub-2 finish.  Mutual support became the order of the day as it was now us against the weather and for the rest of the race we tried to encourage runners who were fading or stopping.  I had rolled my sleeves back up to keep warm, but the wind was plastering my cold, wet shirt against my stomach and I was definitely starting to feel uncomfortably cool.  Finally, after a few false hopes, we reached the turnaround and headed back north for the final 2½ miles.  At first I rejoiced at having the wind behind me again, but after about a half mile the warmth and humidity made their presence felt and my glasses actually fogged up for a bit.  There was an unfortunate lack of directions at one point that resulted in the inbound and outbound streams of runners crossing each other twice while running in parallel but opposite directions, but the runners handled it well as far as I saw.

                             

                            Finally, the finish came into view and I found the energy to pick up the pace even more.  I got my sub-2, coming in at 1:58:05.5.  Almost as soon as we stopped running, my RP and I felt the wind blowing behind us and soon felt cold again.  We picked up our medals and shirts and headed for our cars.  I got in the back of my mine to get changed (I forgot to pack a towel  ) and struggled a bit as I kept getting cramps in my legs as I tried to change out of my shorts and into sweatpants (it was raining heavily again, so I didn't want to get out and stretch).

                             

                            I'm writing now, about six hours after the race, and my legs still feel sore, tired, and subject to cramping - more so than I'm accustomed to from running a half.  It wasn't a fast race for me, but it was definitely an adventure and one to remember; another step in learning what I am capable of doing.  Overall, I had a good time and some fun, but not of the type I'd want to go out and do again any time soon.

                            5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 
                            10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)

                            Upcoming races: RunAPalooza (Asbury Park) HM, 4/6; Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27

                             

                            Half Crazy K 2.0


                              Link to my race report.

                               

                              Fred, nice job. I find with that type of wind, I have to angle my head to keepp my visor from blowing off. That's rough to alternate between warm & cold in the same race. I agree 100%, this weather is not something I want to run in any time soon (or drive 3 hours in).

                              JamesD


                              JamesD

                                Fred/HK - Sorry about the weather in your halfs.  I wish my races would have the weather that’s too warm for you (without storms), and I imagine you’d like the low 40s of my last half, which was far too cold for me.  

                                 

                                Mark - Probably a  good idea to DNS.  Frustrating, though.

                                 

                                I was reminded today of how much of a difference caffeine makes.  I’ve been slow and have felt sluggish all year after being sick & missing most of a month over the holidays.  I saw a new Gatorade energy drink called FastTwitch in the grocery store & decided to try it, drinking ⅔ of a bottle with about 130 mg of caffeine this morning.  I rarely have any caffeine, so it made a big difference.  Today’s long-by-recent-standards run was 15-30 seconds/mile faster than my recent norm for morning runs despite rain that made the path muddy for the last 5 miles.  Another sign of progress is that my heart rate on treadmill runs has been close to normal recently after being 5-10 bpm higher for most of this year.  On the other hand, my right hamstring cramped at the end of yesterday’s swim, which has never happened before.  No idea why, but no ill effects today.

                                 

                                Sun -  7 miles AM in park @ 8:49, L glute sore early

                                Mon - off (planned to swim, but thunderstorms started as I was leaving home)

                                Tues - 9.6 miles AM in park @ 8:38, R calf & L hamstring sore

                                Weds - 7.5 miles very slow on TM (90 minutes) + 0:40 walk breaks/6:00

                                Thurs - 9.3 miles AM in park @ 8:57, L glute sore

                                Fri - 40 minutes swimming, stopped w/R hamstring cramp, 10 minutes pool running

                                Sat - 10.9 miles AM in park in rain @ 8:23, L glute sore, caffeine helped lots

                                 

                                Total - 44.3 miles

                                YTD Average - 32.6 mpw

                                Post-1987 PRs:  Half 1:30:14 (2019); 10K 39:35 (2019); 5K 19:12 (2017); Mile 5:37.3 (2020)

                                '24 Goals: consistency, age-graded PRs, half < 1:32